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Eastside
Sand Harbour's Eastside has come to stand for all that's wrong with its golden dreams of stardom. Here, the city's come-hither sexuality bursts into full, vulgar bloom: strip clubs, massage parlors, and peddlers in pornography can be found on every block, while more blatantly illegal operations flourish amid the garish alchemical lights. Tourists sometimes come here for a little walk on the wild side, but they invariably scuttle back to Beachfront, their wallets empty and their eyes filled with fear. No one who sees the Eastside returns from it unaffected. The dreams of Sand Harbour crawl here to die, sucked dry by the studio vampires and tossed aside like garbage. The fresh-faced kids who arrived full of hope and visions of lighting up the silver screen often end their days here, performing acts in the back alleys that further deaden their already-shattered souls. Cynicism walks in the open, not hidden behind pretty lies and betrayal. Most of what goes on in this neighborhood is illegal, though the government does little to seriously address the problem. Common thinking in City Hall is that the Eastside is a "safety valve," keeping violent crime down by providing more "victimless" crimes as an outlet. The police make sweeps and their presence can be felt, but generally, they leave the denizens to their own devices. Alchemical lights flicker on every block, promising all manner of temptations and delights: from peep shows to pornographic book stores to production companies specializing in the "mature/erotic" genre. Streetwalkers ply their trade in front of every red light establishment, and business is always booming. The pimps of the Eastside make more money in a week than most middle class families earn in a year... most of it blown on the district's omnipresent drug trade. Junkies huddle in every doorway, and dealers operate behind barely-hidden front stores. No one comes to the Eastside willingly, though everyone does so of their own volition. Failed actors, skid-row dancers, the lonely, the desperate, and the wounded all find their way here—either to drown themselves in its corruption or to profit from it. Gaunts often work as bouncers or cashiers, since their visage rarely bothers people as it might in a more respectable setting. "Victimless" hardly describes what goes on here, but at the same time, everyone—from the nattiest gangster to the most desiccated whore—made a choice to be here. The Eastside invariably ensures that they live with it. Here and there, a few "legitimate" businesses can still be found: mostly liquor stores, but also more sedate attractions like card rooms and pool halls. Respectability is too much to ask for on the Eastside, but these endeavors manage keep their head above the cesspool surrounding them. Many of them turn a brisk profit and the recent success of the Golden Horn Casino lends the hope that the area's sleazy core can finally be tamed. In addition, the Eastside makes a convenient headquarters for criminals on the run. Few people look at faces here, and those who do are very good at forgetting the details. The open sewer of humanity often leaves police searching for a needle in a haystack, and every business has a back room or similar locale which they're willing to rent out for a price. It's no surprise that many of Sand Harbour's thaumaturges can be found here...and that some maintain permanent boltholes where they can disappear when the heat comes down. Locations in the Eastside * Golden Horn Casino * Tiger Nest Category:Districts of Sand Harbour Category:Locations in Sand Harbour